


Beneath the Rose

by ElizaEnjolrasdeLioncourt



Category: Da Vinci Code | Robert Langdon Series - Dan Brown
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22200325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaEnjolrasdeLioncourt/pseuds/ElizaEnjolrasdeLioncourt
Summary: Madalene Langdon is the adopted daughter of Harvard professor Robert Langdon, and also under the protection of the Priory of Sion as one of the few living descendants of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. She follows her father through his adventures, as does the son of a trusted member of the priory, sworn to protect her at all costs.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Charater, Robert Langdon/Katherine Solomon, Robert Langdon/Sophie Neveu
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. The Beginning

Chapter 1:

Robert Langdon was visiting a Catholic-run orphanage in France as research. He was well on his way to publishing his second book, and had just been hired as a professor of religious symbology at Harvard. He walked in the front door, led by Sister Sandrine Biel, who would give him the full tour of the former church building. They spent hours going over every detail and piece of imagery in the building. Sister Sandrine gladly went through the history of the building that, though it had been renovated and rebuilt, had been in the same location since nearly the time of Christ himself. 

The tour was nearly finished, when a little four-year old girl, with emerald green eyes and dark auburn hair crept down the steps, clutching a little stuffed teddy bear, “Sister, I had a bad dream again,” her lip quivered as she saw the two of them.

“Oh sweetheart,” She picked the girl up and held her, “It’s alright, nothing can hurt you here,” she assured the child. She turned to Robert, “Mr. Langdon, this is Madalene, she’s been having some bad dreams lately.” She turned so Madelene could see him, “Madelene, this is Mr. Langdon, he’s a professor.”

“I used to have bad dreams when I was little too, Madalene,” Robert told her. “I know they feel really real, but it’s just your imagination, and nothing that happens in your dreams can hurt you for real,” he explained.

Madalene sniffled softly, looking up at him with her big green eyes, “Really? You promise?”

“I promise,” he told her with a light chuckle, “I even pinky swear,” he offered her his pinky.

Madalene considered this a moment, “And professors are smart...right?” she checked, almost seeming skeptical.

“Well I certainly hope so,” Robert laughed.

Madalene smiled, and looped her tiny pinky with his, “Thanks Mister Langdon,” she giggled.

Sandrine put her down, “Run along to the kitchen and I’ll be right there to get you a snack.”

“Yes, Sister,” Madalene went to the kitchen waving goodbye to Robert as she went. 

Robert waved back to her and turned to Sandrine once she was gone, “Is she eligible to be adopted?”

“Yes Mr. Langdon, all of our children here may be adopted; she’ll have a family of her own someday,” She nodded.

Robert thought for a moment; he certainly had enough money to support this child, after all, Harvard paid well enough, and he was still getting money from the sales of his first book. He considered the fact that this was clearly impulsive, but then the thought was overshadowed by affection. This little girl seemed special, gifted in a way. From the second she looked up at him he’d had this idea in the back of his mind.

Sandrine interrupted his thoughts, “She’s a special little girl, if you adopt her, you take on her past and her future.”

“I would like to adopt her, I know it seems rash, but I can’t come up with a rational reason to leave her here, especially when I have more than the means to support her at home, and I know I can give her a good, comfortable life,” Robert told her.

“Well…” She was hesitant, “We’ll let Madalene decide, yes?”

“Yes, that seems fair, it is her life, after all,” Robert nodded.

With that, he followed her into the kitchen, where Madalene was playing with her teddy bear, humming a little tune, and patiently waiting for her snack. 

“Do you mind if Mr. Langdon has a snack with us?” Sandrine asked her.

Madalene looked up from the table and nodded, “Yeah, he’s nice! He can have a snack too.”

“Thank you, Madalene,” he smiled at her.

“You’re welcome,” She smiled. 

“Coffee, Professor?” Sandrine offered.

“Please, I’m jetlagged like you wouldn’t believe,” Robert laughed.

“What’s jetlagged?” Madalene asked.

“It’s hard to explain, but in America it’s six hour earlier than it is here, so when I flew from America to France it threw off my internal clock, that tells me when to sleep and eat and all that,” He tried to explain to her. 

Madalene nodded, “Oh I get it, it’s still early in America, but it’s late here!”

“Madelene is a very smart child, professor,” Sandrine smiled and set a plate of cookies on the table.

“I can see that,” Robert nodded.

Madalene reached forward and Robert pushed the plate closer to her with a wink. She giggled and blinked, in an attempt to wink back, and took a cookie, “These are my favorite!”

“Oreos huh?” Robert asked, “Mine too.”

Madalene grinned and spotted his watch, “MICKEY MOUSE!” she beamed, “I love Mickey Mouse!”

“You do? He’s my favorite,” Robert told her.

“Mine too!” Madalene bounced in her seat.

“Madalene, Mr. Langdon wants to ask you something,” Sandrine told her.

Madalene turned to him and looked up at him, ready to hear what he wanted to ask her.

“Madalene,” Robert began, suddenly very nervous, “I know we only just met today, but I get really lonely in America sometimes, and you’re a very sweet, vet smart little girl. Will you let me be your dad? Can I adopt you?”

Madalene thought for a bit, “Do I get my own room? And will you let me get a doggy? And will you read me bedtime stories?” she paused, “Oh and can teddy come to America with us?” she held up her bear and showed him. 

Robert smiled and nodded, “Yes, you’ll have your very own bedroom, and all the bedtime stories you want, and we can see about getting a puppy. And of course your little friend can come with us. I would never leave him behind without his best friend Madalene.”

“...and you’ll keep me safe from the monsters?” Madalene checked hesitantly.  
“Of course,” Robert nodded, “Monsters aren’t allowed in my house.”

Madalene looked at Sister Sandrine and back at Robert, “Then...yes! You can be my new daddy!” she got up and hugged him tightly. 

Robert picked her up and hugged back.

“Mr. Langdon, come with me,” Sandrine smiled, “Madalene, you can stay and finish your snack.”

Robert followed her from the room.

Sandrine closed her office door behind them, “Mr. Langdon, now that Madalene has agreed, there is something I need to share with you, she’s really a special child. She’ll come with quite a unique set of challenges, but we will be there to help you protect her.”

“Protect her?” Robert asked, “Are people after her? Who’s we anyway, the church?”

“You’re a historian, yes?” She raised a brow at him and paused, “Have you ever heard of the Priory of Sion?”


	2. The Beginning Part 2

Chapter 2:

“The Priory of Sion…you don’t mean to say that you think Madalene is…?” Robert asked.

“No, we know she is, her family can be traced back to Him directly,” Sister Sandrine nodded, “We have protected her family for generations. Her parents were being pursued and they left her with me here to keep her safe. Unfortunately, their car was run off the road shortly thereafter, but the perpetrators didn’t know about her. Thankfully, she was only a baby, she doesn’t remember them leaving her here, or it would be much harder for her. Her parents left a large sum of money to see that whoever adopted her, if that was necessary, would be able to provide a more than comfortable life for her.”

Robert’s head was spinning. Of course, he’d heard rumors of the Priory of Sion, and he didn’t doubt their existence per say, but learning they were real, and that their charge was very real as well, it was all surreal to him. He sat there blinking in shock.

“I understand if you’d like to reconsider her adoption…” Sandrine started when it seemed to her the professor had indeed changed his mind.

“No,” Robert cut her off, “No, I still very much want to adopt her. I can tell she needs me, and I won’t let her down.”

Sandrine smiled at him and nodded, “Very well, just sign here, and fill out these forms, and we’ll put it all through with our people in America. They’ll have it rushed and she’ll be able to come home with you in about two weeks’ time. You are in France for an extended period of time, yes?”

“Oh, yes, I’ll be researching throughout the country as well, I’ll be here for at least three weeks, so no need to rush the paperwork too much. If she’d like, I can take her on my day trips with me. Well, the ones that she won’t be bored to death on, I mean.”

“She’ll love that,” Sandrine nodded, “Let’s get back to the little Princess, shall we?” She stood up and led Robert back to where Madalene was waiting patiently in the kitchen.

Robert followed and smiled at Madalene once he saw her.

Madalene waved at him, “Hi, Daddy!” she smiled brightly.

Robert’s heart melted, “Hi sweetie, did you enjoy your snackie?”

Madalene nodded, “I saved you a Oreo!” she handed it to him proudly.

“Thank you so much!” Robert ate it, “Wow this is the best Oreo I’ve ever had ever!”  
“Why don’t you tell your daddy what things you like to do, little princess?” Sandrine suggested.

“Okay!” The little girl beamed and turned her whole body towards Robert, “I like reading about history things, and doing paintings, and puzzles! I love puzzles! All kinds of puzzles! Sister gave me one that looks like a star and you gotta put it together so all the pieces fit perfectly! I got a new one and I didn’t figure it out yet. It’s like the star almost but it's a cube and there’s lots more pieces. OH! And I’m learning how to speak Italian. I already speak English and French because Sister taught me English when I was super little! Ummmmm I like watching Disney too! My favorites are Sleeping Beauty and Belle!” 

Robert listened intently, “Belle and Ariel are my favorites, and I love history too. I can teach you all about it if you want to learn,” he offered.

“I wanna learn everything! Learning is my favorite! Do I get to start school in America?” Madalene asked him.

“Yes you do,” Robert nodded, “I’m a teacher for grown-ups at Harvard. Have you ever heard of that school?”

“Harvard?! I wanna go there when I’m a grown-up!” Madalene bounced in her seat, “Sister told me about it because it was in one of my books, and it sounds so nice!”

“You know,” Robert leaned in to whisper, “I live at Harvard.”

“You do?!” Madalene’s eyes grew to about five times their original size, “I get to live there too?”

“Yes you do, because you’re going to live with me. And since you’re so smart, you can even come to my classes there whenever you want!”

Madalene was overwhelmed, more than her little body could take, and in lieu of responding she threw her arms around her new daddy and buried her face in his shoulder, “Thank you so much, Daddy!” she was nearly in tears. She was so happy that someone finally wanted her and that someone was going to be able to make her wildest dreams come true.

Three weeks went by with Robert taking Madalene with him on little day trips to Paris. In the end, he would take her back to the orphanage to sleep, and he would go back to his hotel, just to return the next morning and start all over again. Madalene loved it; the two went on tours, and they visited Robert’s friend Leigh who adored her from the moment they met as well. He immediately informed the child that he was her Uncle Leigh, and if she ever wanted anything and her daddy said no, that all she needed to do was call him and he’d get her anything she ever wanted. This, along with the fact that he lived in a castle, made him and Madalene fast friends. He volunteered to be her godfather, and Robert gratefully accepted the offer, as Leigh was extremely well-off, but he decided against telling his friend about Madalene’s connection to the Priory of Sion. The less people who knew this information, the better, and Leigh’s obsession with the Priory worried Robert. He never wanted any harm to come to his new child for the sake of an ancient mystery, known only to a few historians. 

At the end of Robert’s time in France, and after Madalene had said her goodbyes at the orphanage, the two boarded their flight back to Massachusetts to start their new life together, and of course less than a week after they returned home, Robert let Madalene pick out her very own puppy.


End file.
